A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to incineration and especially to thermal regenerative incinerators having a heat-exchange bed of solid discrete elements subject to shifting and subsidence over a period of time.
B. Prior Art
Thermal regeneration apparatus is known which has a plurality of heat-exchange chambers or sections around and in communication with a central high-temperature combustion zone. Each heat-exchange section has a plurality of solid, discrete heat-exchange elements such as saddle-shaped ceramic elements which are heated by very high temperature gas flow from the central zone when the gas flow is outwardly from the central zone and are cooled when the gas flow is through them into the central zone. Usually, each heat-exchange section had a generally horizontal top wall. After the initial charge of the ceramic elements into the sections, it was found that over a period of time there was a settling or subsidence of the elements due to the gas flow and the expansion-contraction effects of the heating cooling cycles. This resulted in a clearance over the top of the pile of elements through which inlet or outlet gases could bypass them. Consequently, exhaust gases from the industrial process were incompletely incinerated and gases from the central zone were passed at abnormally high temperatures through the valves and outlet ducts to the ambient atmosphere.
It is among the objects of the present invention to provide apparatus which prevents or remedies the formation of any clearance over the pile of heat-exchange elements through which inlet or outlet gases may bypass those elements. It is also among the objects to prevent undue damage to the outlet valves, ductwork and other parts of the apparatus through which abnormally hot exhaust gases flow after passing through that clearance. Still another object is the prevention of emission of incompletely incinerated industrial process gases to the ambient atmosphere.